mgo.licio.us

"The face of the operation is Briatore (referred to exclusively in the film by his colleagues and angry, chanting detractors as "Flavio"), an anthropomorphic radish who spends most of his time at QPR plotting to fire all of the managers."

At press time, Harbaugh had sent Michigan’s athletic department an envelope containing a heavily annotated seating chart, a list of the 63,000 seat views he had found unsatisfactory, and a glowing 70-page report on section 25, row 12, seat 9, which he claimed is “exactly what the great sport of football is all about.”

There's much talk of Bo this week, and all the Harbaughs speak glowingly of his influence. Bo never won a national championship, but between our '97 title (with Bo men on the staff) and this his coaching ability is getting some nice post-career validation. That Bo's emphasis on physical, molar-rattling football has become a key tenet of a team playing for the Super Bowl is surprising, and wonderful.

Bo is the greatest coach to never win a national championship. His record in the 1970s was unbelievably good. He seemed to have at least one heartbreak game a year. It's a shame he never won a NC. The man also has a hell of a coaching tree.

I am sad that I never had the chance to meet him. He was Michigan to me when I was growing up in the 80s.

"[The University of Michigan] was, in short, the testing ground for all my prejudices, my beliefs and my ignorance, and it helped to lay out the boundaries of my life."--Arthur Miller

Would have loved to see a playoff back then. I am convinced the 80 team that demolished Washington in the Rose Bowl could have beaten anyone. They lost a couple early games against very good opponents. The 85 team, 88 team and 92 teams all could have made serious runs in a playoff too.

In addition to the cheaing issue raised, Bo used to have very tough schedules. Michigan used to refuse to play MAC teams and would pretty much only have teams from top conferences (and ND at times) during their nonconference slate. I used to be so bitter about those Miami teams (they were an independent back then) that would play a couple decent teams and then a bunch of crap teams. Yes, Miami was damn good back, but they did not fact the types of schedules that Bo did.

"[The University of Michigan] was, in short, the testing ground for all my prejudices, my beliefs and my ignorance, and it helped to lay out the boundaries of my life."--Arthur Miller

in the way both teams play defense. In addition to "Grind the meat & rattle their molars", Bo's success was due to a hard-nosed and tough defense. Some of our teams post-Bo did not play up to that standard. Under Hoke and Mattison, I see a welcome return to those days.

"You owe it to every man, woman, and child in the State of Michigan to beat the Buckeyes and silence their fans! Now go out there and make it happen!"

As a supplement to this, here's an article I remembered from late in 2011 from The Post Game, and although it is mainly about Jack Harbaugh and his family, it makes extensive mention of the influence of Bo as well - (LINK)

I particularly liked this quote from John, when he talked about growing up watching Schembechler coach:

"You can't have a better childhood," John Harbaugh said when he landed his first NFL head coaching job with the Ravens. "When you grow up in that environment, part of your life values and the things you learn are three important things.No. 1 is the team. The second important thing is the team. The third most important thing was the team. That's what it's all about."

"Funny isn't it, how naughty dentists always make that one fatal mistake."

When Jim Harbaugh got his first head coaching job, he made sure he called his coach at Michigan, the late Bo Schembechler. The first thing Schembechler said to his former player was a question about personnel.

"We have always believed in that, a tight end and a fullback," Harbaugh said. "When I got my first coaching job at the University of San Diego, I called my coach Bo Schembechler and told him that I was the coach at the University of San Diego. Before he said congratulations, he said, 'Jimmy, tell me you are going to have a tight end that puts his hand in that ground on every snap. Tell me that you are going to have a fullback that lines directly behind the quarterback, and a halfback in the I-formation.'

"'Yes, coach, we will have that.' 'Good, congratulations on getting your job.'"

regrets. I cannot recall him ever complaining or lamenting publicly that he never won a national championship. People who put their best into all they do, and do it honestly are content with whatever the outcome is. For more than 2 decades as our coach- and until his passing- I believe Bo enjoyed well-earned contentment.